Australians cutting greenhouse emissions: report

Going down: The report measured emissions created by electricity and petrol use across the eastern states

Joe Raedle/Getty Images, file photo: AFP

A new report has revealed that greenhouse gas emissions from energy use in Australia's eastern states have fallen by 1.8 per cent.

The Greenhouse Indicator Annual Report, released by the Climate Group, measures emissions created by electricity and petrol use across the eastern states.

The report shows overall emissions were 5.3 million tonnes lower in 2009 than in the previous year.

The biggest declines are in South Australia, with a 4.2 per cent reduction, and New South Wales, with a 3.1 per cent reduction.

Queensland reduced its emissions by 1.1 per cent and Victoria by 0.5 per cent.

The Climate Group's Rupert Posner says it is good news and if it is maintained it could mean big cuts to emissions by 2020.

"It has been easier for emissions to have gone down in 2009 because we haven't had as much pressure from a strong economy, but saying that, a reduction is a reduction and that's good news," he said.

"And if we had the same amount of cut in greenhouse gas emissions as we had last year for the next 10 years then we would be on track for a 20 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions from energy. And that's the sort of magnitude that we need to see."